A Bird in a Bathing Suit by Dawn Mitchell, illustrated by Josh Will Ages 3-6 26 pages Outskirts Press February 2010 Paperback     A Bird in a Bathing Suit tells the tale of what happens one day when a bluebird flies out of a tree wearing a pair of red swim trunks. At first a group of small children, amazed at the sight, speculate on how strange it would be if birds were to wear T-shirts, baseball caps, raincoats or vests. But as their mocking of the bird and its strange attire goes on, they end up hurting the bird’s feelings and it flies away. How will the children make amends and persuade the bird to return? This is a well-intentioned book designed to get children thinking and talking about embracing differences and accepting others. The illustrations by Josh Will are attractive and fit the story well - the bird in question is especially cute and expressive. However, the story itself feels a bit thin. While the image of a bird in a bathing suit holds some whimsical promise, there really isn’t enough here for an entire story on the theme. The illustrations depict children who appear to be pre-teens and teens, but the story is most appropriate for four and five year olds, who may be just beginning to think about accepting and celebrating differences.     web reviews   Usha Reynolds/2010 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)